21 Apr Lamb Loin with Baby Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Bush Tomato Chutney
We love lamb. It’s versatile for every situation from roasting to barbecuing, pan frying or wok tossing. Our friends from down under love it as well, and produce some of the best, and this recipe from Chef Benjamin Christie makes use of some unique and flavorful Australian ingredients. (We have included links to the products, which are available online at www.cherikoff.net. If you use code “gildedOz” when purchasing, you will receive a 10% discount as a Gilded Fork reader.) Also see our Artisan’s Corner interview with purveyor Vic Cherikoff.
4 servings
Ingredients
4 8-ounce lamb loins, boneless and trimmed of sinew
8 asparagus spears
12 sun-dried tomatoes
8 ounces baby spinach
½ tablespoon high quality olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
½ cup Bush Tomato Chutney
For the sauce:
2 cups beef stock
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Alpine Pepper
Red Desert Dust, for garnish
Preparation
In a pan, add a little oil and slowly sauté the Alpine Pepper for a minute; add in the stock and reduce by 80%. Then, with a clean steel or small knife make a hole in the center of the lamb; stuff in the sun-dried tomatoes and carefully thread through the asparagus spears. Using butcher’s twine, tie up the lamb to stop it from losing shape during cooking.
On a hot grill or barbecue sear the lamb, fat side first; the lamb is best served medium rare (135°F). Remove from the grill, dust with Red Desert Dust and allow to rest before cutting.
In a small pot sauté the spinach with a little olive oil and butter.
Service
Cut the lamb loins into three unequal pieces and stand these rounds upright. Garnish with Bush Tomato Chutney and spinach and drizzle a little sauce over the lamb.
[Chef’s Note: For more information about these special products, listen to the ReMARKable Palate Podcast episodes 32 and 33 for Chef Mark’s interview with Vic Cherikoff.]
Recipe and photo copyright © 2006 Vik Cherikoff and Benjamin Christie; adapted from the Dining Downunder Cookbook. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.